


love slipped beyond your reaches, i couldn’t give a reason

by mechup



Series: without hope, without witness, without reward [2]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Multi, Other, missy??? actually COMMUNICATING?????? it's a miracle, the ardor era, yes i know i use italics way too much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:02:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28699608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mechup/pseuds/mechup
Summary: She most likely hears him approach but she doesn’t acknowledge he’s there until he says her name.“Doctor,” she answers with a sigh, as if he’s greatly inconveniencing her. She eyes the door she came through and considers making a run for it, but ultimately decides not to when she remembers River’s still in there. She could jump off the balcony, but that’ll just be more hassle than it’s worth.Wonderful. She’ll have totalkto him.
Relationships: Missy/River Song, Twelfth Doctor/Missy, Twelfth Doctor/Missy/River Song, Twelfth Doctor/River Song
Series: without hope, without witness, without reward [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1974634
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	love slipped beyond your reaches, i couldn’t give a reason

_because i dropped your hand while dancing,_

_left you out there standing_

_crestfallen on the landing,_

_champagne problems_

_—champagne problems by Taylor Swift_

* * *

  
  


The music drifts throughout the ballroom, carrying all the couples dancing. The Doctor is content to stay off to the side, watching River and Missy from across the room. 

They flow together perfectly, as though in each other’s arms is where they’re meant to be, and it makes the Doctor’s hearts skip a few beats; _nothing_ in the universe should be so beautiful. He knows he wouldn’t believe they’re real if he hadn’t held them in his own arms just a few minutes ago, and even now he _still_ almost doesn’t believe it. They look like they’ve been sculpted by the most talented artist in the galaxy, created to preserve impossibility. 

They had tried to convince him to join them, but this body doesn’t really do public dancing. He’d rather not taint the picture they form, and he’d rather stay where he isn’t obligated to take part but can still observe. 

Missy pulls back just a step to twirl River, the two of them laughing as she does. They continue, getting back into the rhythm of the song, and the Doctor can’t help the smile that forms on his own face. He decides he prefers them real and alive. It’s not like any piece of art could ever do them justice, anyway. 

They continue to dance and all is well, until Missy drops River’s hand halfway through the next song. River asks if something’s wrong but she doesn’t appear to respond, turning and not quite running from the room but... walking very quickly. The Doctor frowns and River smoothly picks another partner to dance with, deciding Missy is most likely not going to react well if she follows her. 

The Doctor, however, doesn’t wait even a beat before turning on his heel and going after her, knowing the best time to sort out whatever might be wrong is as immediately as possible, especially if River isn’t coming right away. Missy’s gone out onto the balcony, and he finds her resting her arms on the railing as she looks out into the distance. 

She most likely hears him approach but she doesn’t acknowledge he’s there until he says her name.

“Doctor,” she answers with a sigh, as if he’s greatly inconveniencing her. She eyes the door she came through and considers making a run for it, but ultimately decides not to when she remembers River’s still in there. She could jump off the balcony, but that’ll just be more hassle than it’s worth. 

Wonderful. She’ll have to _talk_ to him. 

“What’s wrong?” he asks as he goes to her side. He looks straight ahead so she doesn’t feel intimidated.

“Nothing,” she says, though she knows there’s no use in stalling. 

“Missy.”

“...It was just too much, okay? I took one look at her and I couldn’t—”

“Couldn’t what?” he presses, because this is farther than she ever gets when talking about her feelings. She’s silent for a moment, and then it all comes pouring out of her before she gets the chance to stop it. 

“What’s going to happen when it’s all over?” she demands, like she can’t bear to think about it. She didn’t even expect they’d get _this_ far, and she’s prepared for it to come crashing down at any moment. “When she decides she’s done with... whatever this is?”

“Why would she decide she’s done with it?” he asks calmly, finally turning to face her. 

“Not with _it_ , with _me_ ,” she clarifies. She risks a glance at him, then quickly looks away. It’s hard enough speaking about it out loud, she doesn’t also need to see his reaction. “She’s your wife, not mine.”

“Why does that change anything?” His voice has softened, and Missy hates it because she can _hear_ his concern. “It doesn’t for her or me, so why does it for you?”

She ignores the question. “I think it’d just be easier if we all stopped pretending like this is going to last forever.

“Is that what you want?” he asks, well aware that it’s _not_. He _knows_ she’s happy with the two of them, but she’s always so sure it won’t work out. He understands, of course he does; he’s still in disbelief sometimes that River loves _him_ , of all people. But Missy seems more intent on making it a self fulfilling prophecy rather than allowing things to take its course, and he wants her to realize it _can_ end well. 

“It doesn’t matter. River—”

“River wants you to know you’re an idiot,” a voice from the doorway interrupts, and Missy immediately turns when she recognizes her. River’s standing against the wall, arms crossed, like she’s been there a while. 

“...How much did you hear?” she asks, reconsidering whether diving off the balcony would be worth it. 

“Enough,” River says vaguely with a shrug. She approaches them but doesn’t get too close in case Missy feels trapped. “I’m not going to suddenly change my mind, you know. We’re all here because we want to be, nothing’s going to change that.”

“But—”

“Missy. We’re not going to suddenly leave you. And no matter what you’re worried about, you can always talk to us about it.” She moves closer to hold Missy’s face between her hands, expression as sincere as possible. The position forces Missy to meet her eyes, and River brushes her thumb against her cheek. It helps Missy to relax as soon as she does it, and she asks, “All right?”

“All right.” Missy nods and River decides that’s good enough for now, especially with how little Missy really does talk about this. River leans in to kiss her, lingering for a few extra moments. She glances at the Doctor, who gives her a reassuring smile. All things considered, this has gone a lot better than either of them thought it would.

“Now.” River pulls away and holds out her hand. “I believe we were in the middle of a dance before we got interrupted.”


End file.
